Drum positioning and printing apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for lifting drums off a conveyor and rotating them while they are either labeled or printed on. A converging, horizontally disposed group of conical rollers arranged in a hub and spoke configuration are lifted at their hub or tip end so as to lift the drum off of conveyor rollers and a pair of opposing and horizontally positioned driven belt conveyor systems which converge on the drum to rotate it past an inking printer and/or labeler.

United States Patent 1151 3,680,479 Nichols et al. [4 1 Aug. 1, 1972[54] DRUM POSITIONING AND PRINTING 3,112,690 12/1963 Talarico ..10l/35APPARATUS 2,613,631 10/1952 Anderson ..118/320 X 3,144,496 8/1964Langlitz ..2l4/1 Q X m] Invent fi s jff i fi 3,491,511 1/1970 Nigrelliet a1. ..198/33 AB x vine Term 2,856,058 10/1958 Todd et a1. ..198/33 ADX 1,179,035 4/1916 Prouty ..214/340 X Assrgrwe: g Haas p y Phlladel-2,244,651 6/1941 Goebel et al ..118/318 x p 1a, a. 22 Filed; Sept. 22, 7Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Clifford D.Crowder [21] App1.No.: 74,413 Attorney-George W. F. Simmons, Carl A.Castellan and Philip D. Freedman [52] 0.8. CI ..l01/38 R, 198/33 AB,214/1 Q,

214/340 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..B4lf 17/22 An a pparatus forlifting drums off a conveyor and [58] Field of Search "198,3 214, 2 1rotating them while they are either labeled or printed Q t1 r on. Aconverging, horizontally disposed group of conical rollers arranged in ahub and spoke configuration 56 R f C d are lifted at their hub or tipend so as to lift the drum I 1 e ennces e off of conveyor rollers and apair of opposing and UNITED STATES PATENTS horizontally positioneddriven belt conveyor systems which converge on the drum to rotate itpast an inking 2,613,634 10/ 1952 Johns et al. ..2l4/340 X primer and/orlabel. 2,793,659 5/1957 Guerard, Jr. et a1..198/33 AB X 3,364,850 l/l968Bodor..... 101/35 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures o WON II? I I16 1 119 IIll [l5 1 108 r l I I3 109 no t I- i .!rl "2 *7 u ,l E

H 1 u 1 1 r |O6-"H g I l I I 104 I J I T l 1 (I20 |o5-r 1 g I 101 R 102I und! 1| I m PATENTEmus 1 m2 3.680.479

sum 1 0F 4 FIG. 2

FIG I INVENTOR HAL C. NICHOLS, JR.

SIBLEY R. IRWIN ROBERT K.COLLINS,

PATENTEDAUB 1 1912 saw 3 er 4 1 DRUM POSITIONING AND PRINTING APPARATUSThis invention relates to an apparatus for lifting circular containersor drums off of a conveyor and for rotating them by a rotary printerand/or labeler.

In the general process of filling containers or drums one of theimportant steps is the labeling or printing of the filled container.

Most container handling systems today use some form of conveying meansto transport the containers or drums during the filling, sealing andlabeling operatrons.

A problem encountered in labeling is how to take the moving drum, stopit and label it in a fast, economical and efficient manner.

Since the containers or drums are moving in a liner direction it isdifficult to print completely around the circumference of the drums.

Conventional methods of printing or labeling a drum on a conveyorgenerally comprise applying the label to only one side thereof. Thistechnique renders subsequent identification of the drum in a warehousequite difficult particularly when it has been palletized or otherwisemulti-unit stored.

The present invention is designed to overcome all of these problemspreviously encountered and enumerated above. According to the instantinvention, an apparatus is provided which performs the followingsequences:

The drum is sensed by a photocell. When in position a lift platformlifts the drum clear of the conveyor and an air cylinder is energized tomove the drum turner into the drum. When pressure builds up on the drumturner cylinder indicating the drum turner is against the drum thisresets by a pressure switch the printer rotation counter and turns onthe drum turner drive. The printer assemblies are moved into contactwith the turning drum and a proximity switch with a cam mechanism countsthe rotations of the drum print wheel. When four revolutions have beencounted the operation is topped. The printers are removed from the drum,the drum turner drive is stopped and retracted, and the drum lift lowersthe drum back onto the conveyor.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide anautomatic apparatus for lifting drums from a conveyor, centering androtating them as desired for printing and/or labeling.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus tolift drums off roller conveyors and to rotate them while engaged with aprinter for a predetermined amount.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus forstopping containers being transported by conveying means and printinginformation on the circumferences thereof.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparentwhen taken with reference to the accompanying specification and drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the printers used in this inventionlooking along the direction of movement of the drums;

FIG. 2 is a partial front elevational view of the apparatus shown inFIG. 1 showing one of the printer mechanisms;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the general arrangement of the liftingmechanism and drum rotating apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus similar to FIG. 3 showing thelifting and rotating mechanisms in greater detail;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4with the drum lifting apparatus in the up position, and

FIG. 6 is a partial front elevational view of the mechanism shown inFIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown the drum printing apparatusdesignated generally as 100.

A horizontally disposed support member 101 supports an L-shaped rail101' and a C-shaped rail 102 for supporting conventional rollers R Asafety guard 103 extends over the end of the rollers covering the rollerchain sprockets, such as 104, for engaging a driving chain (not shown).

On one side of the conveyor is a pair of vertical support members 105and 106 which are slidable and adjustably secured together in anysuitable manner such as bolts 106'.

Mounted atop member 106 is a housing 107 having an enclosing flange 108.On the reverse side of the housing is mounted an air cylinder 109.Through a crank arrangement designated generally as 110 in FIG. l, themotor 116 rotates an arm 111 through a given arc which rotates a shaft114 held in journals 1 13 which are secured to the housing by brackets112. A larger diameter section 115 of shaft 114 is connected to one of aseries of inker rollers, like 119, which are driven by printer frictionwheels engaging the side of a drum. A cover plate 117 and bottom plate118 are disposed over and under the rollers.

The other side of member 101 has a pair of vertically adjustable members120 and 121, similar to 105 and 106, and braced by plate 122 whichsupport a housing 124 which has a compressed air cylinder 125 securedthereto by bolts 126 (as shown in FIG. 2). A rod 127 is connected tocylinder 125 and, through clevis 128 turns an arm 129 which is fixedlysecured to shaft 130. The rotation of shaft 130, rotates the entireprinter and inker roll assembly into contact with the circumference of adrum. Shaft 130 is held in place on housing 124 by journals 131 andbrackets 132. Cover plates 134 and 136 are mounted above printer roller133 and the accompanying inker rollers.

It should be noted that the specific inker and printer rollerarrangements shown form no part of this invention but are standarditems.

Referring now to FIG. 3 there is shown the inker and printer rollerarrangements in plan view together with the drum lifting apparatusgenerally designated as 200.

Apparatus 200 consists of a rectangular frame 201 which underlies theconveyor roller frame rails 101 and 103.

Equidistant between rails 101 and 103 are a pair of raised pivot blocks204 and 206. An identical pair exist in the cross portions of the frame201.

Mounted on plates 211 through 214 are a series of four short rollerrails 207 through 210. Between these short rails and rails 101 and 103are a group of shortened rollers R A square base plate 215 is locatedcentrally of the roller framework. A block 216 is mounted on this plateand is adapted to be thrust vertically by a vertically disposed aircylinder underneath (not shown).

Extending from block 216 on each of its four sides are a pair of shafts217 and 218. Mounted for rotation on these shafts are rollers 219 and220.

Referring now for a moment to FIG. 4, there are shown the four conicalrollers, designated as R which act to support the base flange of drum Das the block 216 is raised.

The tip of each roller R has a small bearing surface 222 which isadapted to engage rollers 219 and 220 as the drum revolves and rollers Rturn. Each roller R, has a conical surface 221 and an annular lockingflange portion 223 in which a shaft 224 with a cam follower mounted inits end is received for rotation therein. The end of shaft is pinned(FIG. 5) to portions 206 and 204 of frame 201 and allows the conicalrollers to pivot upwardly as the block 216 is raised so that the topsurface of the conical rollers are essentially horizontal and above theconveyor rollers.

A pair of cross frame members 231 and 232 are secured across frame 201and have flange tabs 234 attached thereto. Each tab 234 has a pin 235secured thereto on which is pivotally mounted a crank arm 236. Pivotallyattached .to pins 237 and 238 on crank arm 236 are clevis members 239and 239' which are adjustably mounted on rods 240 240.

The ends of rods 240 and 240 have adjustable clevis members 241 and 241'(not shown) thereon which are pivotally mounted on pins '242 and 242'(not shown) which are mounted to brackets 243 and 243 on rotationsupport members 244 and 244'.

Since members 244 and 244' are substantially identical only one will bedescribed. Member 244 has a body portion 245 (FIG. 6). Extendingperpendicular to portion 245 are a pair of vertical plate members 246which supports a horizontal cover plate 247 and is secured to a bottommember 248 by brackets 249 and bolts 250.

Member 248 has four bolts 251 secured therein,

each by nuts 252 and 253. On the top of each bolt are two pair ofrollers 254 which are received within tracks, such as 255. L-shapedguides 256 (not shown) are secured to flanges 257 (not shown) on member248 by means of bolts 258 (not shown). These guides aid in stabilizingthe support members as they move on their tracks. The tracks are securedto portions 259 of a frame 201 underlying the drum lifting and rotatingmechanism.

Horizontal cover plate 247 has a motor 260 and gear box 261 adjustablysecured thereto by plate 262.

Gearbox 261 drives a shaft 263 on which is mounted a double sheavepulley 264. Also mounted on the plate 247, as seen in FIG. 4, are singlesheave idler pulleys 266 and 268 on shafts 265 and 267, respectively,and double sheave idler pulley 270 mounted on shaft 269.

Mounted around pulleys 264, 270 and 268 is belt 271 and mounted onpulleys 264, 270 and 266 is belt 272.

The edge of each member 244, 244 nearest the drum is notched as at 273,274 and 275 (FIG. 4) in its lower plate 248 and has a V-notch such as276 in a top cover plate 277.

To bring the members 244 and 244 together to engage the side of the drumD with belts 271 and 272 to start it rotating, an air cylinder 280 (FIG.5) is activated. Cylinder 280 has a piston rod 281 connected to bracket243 by a pivotable clevis connection 282 and is pivotally connected tobracket 243 by a similar connection.

When cylinder 280 is activated the members 244 and 244' converge towardthe drum until the belts 271 and 272 engage the side of the drum.

The operation of the station is. as follows. The presence of a drum issensed by a photocell (not shown). The photocell activates any suitablelifting means (not shown) such as an air cylinder to raise block 216 androllers R to lift the drum clear of rollers R and R and also energizesair cylinder 280 to move the members 244 and 244' toward the drum. Whenpressure builds up on the cylinder indicating members 244 and 244 andtheir belts are against the drum, a pressure actuated switch turns onthe drum turner drive motors 260 and resets a printer rotation counter.The printer assemblies are then moved into contact with the drum D byactivating air cylinders 109 and in any suitable manner and a proximityswitch with cam mechanism counts the rotations of the drum print wheels1116 and 133. When a predetermined number of revolutions of the printerhave been counted the operation is stopped. The printing units areremoved from engagement with the sides of the drum, the drum turnerbelts are turned off and the rollers R lower the drum back onto conveyorrollers R which may then be energized to transport the drum away.

While only one embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it is obvious that many changes and departures will occur tothose of ordinary skill in the art within departing fromthe scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic drum positioning apparatus comprising a drum conveyormeans, lifting means on said conveyor means to raise a drum off of saidconveyor means and maintain it in said raised position and means adaptedto converge on said drum to rotate the same while said drum is in saidraised position; said means to raise said drum coacting with saidrotating means to center said drum when said drum is rotated by saidrotating means, said lifting means further including a plurality ofconically shaped rollers which are disposed so their tips converge andfurther comprising a vertically movable means on which said tips aresupported; said vertically movable means including a block having aplurality of adjacent pairs of rollers extending therefrom, the tips ofsaid conical rollers being of reduced diameter, whereby when said blockis raised the tip of each conical roller rides on a pair of saidadjacent rollers, and the top surface of the conical rollers areessentially horizontal and above the conveyor rollers.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein there are four of said conicalrollers in a cross configuration.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means adapted to converge ona drum to rotate the same comprises a pair of housing members mountedfor lateral converging movement, means to move said members together anddrum rotation means on each of said members adapted to cooperate torotate said drum.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said means to move said memberstogether comprises a pneumatic cylinder and piston rod, both the pistonrod and cylinder being connected to respective ones of said memberswhereby when said piston rod is retracted, the members converge.

5. An apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said drum rotation means on eachsaid member comprises a driven pulley means and a plurality of idlerpulleys, at least one belt being driven around said pulleys.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said driven pulley is a doublesheave pulley and said idler pulleys comprise a double sheave pulley andtwo single sheave pulleys, one belt being trained over one of saidsingle sheave pulleys and both said double sheaved pulleys and a secondbelt being trained over the other single sheave pulley and the twodouble sheaved pulleys.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6 wherein portions of each pulley form aV-shaped engagement with the side of a drum, which in conjunction withthe heretofore described drum lifting mechanism centers the drum.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 including printing means and means toengage said printing means with said drum includes an air cylinder andcrank arm.

1. An automatic drum positioning apparatus comprising a drum conveyormeans, lifting means on said conveyor means to raise a drum off of saidconveyor means and maintain it in said raised position and means adaptedto converge on said drum to rotate the same while said drum is in saidraised position; said means to raise said drum coacting with saidrotating means to center said drum when said drum is rotated by saidrotating means, said lifting means further including a plurality ofconically shaped rollers which are disposed so their tips converge andfurther comprising a vertically movable means on which said tips aresupported; said vertically movable means including a block having aplurality of adjacent pairs of rollers extending therefrom, the tips ofsaid conical rollers being of reduced diameter, whereby when said blockis raised the tip of each conical roller rides on a pair of saidadjacent rollers, and the top surface of the conical rollers areessentially horizontal and above the conveyor rollers.
 2. An apparatusas in claim 1 wherein there are four of said conical rollers in a crossconfiguration.
 3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means adaptedto converge on a drum to rotate the same comprises a pair of housingmembers mounted for lateral converging movement, means to move saidmembers together and drum rotation means on each of said members adaptedto cooperate to rotate said drum.
 4. An apparatus as in claim 3 whereinsaid means to move said members together comprises a pneumatic cylinderand piston rod, both the piston rod and cylinder being connected torespective ones of said members whereby when said piston rod isretracted, the members converge.
 5. An apparatus as in claim 4 whereinsaid drum rotation means on each said member comprises a driven pulleymeans and a plurality of idler pulleys, at least one belt being drivenaround said pulleys.
 6. An apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said drivenpulley is a double sheave pulley and said idler pulleys comprise adouble sheave pulley and two single sheave pulleys, one belt beingtrained over one of said single sheave pulleys and both said doublesheaved pulleys and a second belt being trained over the other singlesheave pulley and the two double sheaved pulleys.
 7. An apparatus as inclaim 6 wherein portions of each pulley form a V-shaped engagement withthe side of a drum, which in conjunction with the heretofore describeddrum lifting mechanism centers the drum.
 8. An apparatus as in claim 1including printing means and means to engage said printing means withsaid drum includes an air cylinder and crank arm.